As shown in FIGS. 28 to 30, a folding container has been known which is composed of long side walls 2 connected to opposite long sides 1a of a rectangular bottom portion 1 with appropriate hinges and short side walls 3 similarly connected to opposite short sides 1b of the bottom portion 1 with appropriate hinges. In a folded state, the short side walls 3 are folded so as to overlap the bottom portion 1, and the long side walls 2 are further folded thereon, as shown in FIG. 30. Then, the folded long side walls 2 are raised so as to stand perpendicular to the bottom portion 1 as shown in FIG. 29, and the folded short side walls 3 are raised so as to stand perpendicular to the bottom portion 1, thereby obtaining an assembled box-shaped container as shown in FIG. 28. Then, engaging pieces 3a formed on each of the perpendicular ends of each short side wall 3 are engaged with engaging recesses 2a formed on each of the perpendicular ends of each long side wall 2 so that the short side walls 3 of the folding container assembled in a box form will not fall down easily.
The above described conventional folding container is still high even after it has been folded as shown in FIG. 30. Accordingly, it cannot be efficiently housed even after folding, resulting in the need for a large housing space.
As shown in FIG. 28, when the folding container is assembled in a box form, if the engaging pieces 3a of the short side walls 3 are weakly engaged with the corresponding engaging recesses 2a of the long side walls 2, then disadvantageously they may be easily disengaged from each other. Consequently, the short side walls 3 of the folding container assembled in a box form may fall inwardly.
Further, if the engaging pieces 3a of the short side walls 3 are strongly engaged with the corresponding engaging recesses 2a of the long side walls 2, when the short side walls 3 are brought down onto the bottom portion 1 as shown in FIG. 29, the engaging pieces 3a of the short side walls 3 are not easily removed from the corresponding engaging recesses 2a of the long side walls 2, hindering the folding container from being smoothly folded. Furthermore, when the short side walls 3 placed on the bottom portion 1 are raised to assemble the container in a box form, the engaging pieces 3a of the short side walls 3 are not easily engaged with the corresponding engaging recesses 2a of the long side walls 2, hindering the folding container from being smoothly assembled in a box form.
It is an object of the present invention to solve the above described problems of the conventional folding container.